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Reducing unwanted telemarketing calls… The National Do Not Call List

Are you frustrated by calls from telemarketers that interrupt you during dinner time? You can now register your home phone, cellular phone and fax machine numbers on the National Do Not Call List (DNCL). Registering will reduce the number of unwanted telemarketing calls you will receive, and it’s free!

How can I register my numbers with the National DNCL?

You can register your home, cellular and fax numbers by either visiting www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca  (http://www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca ) or by calling 1-866-580-3625 or 1-888-362-5889 for TTY service.

Will all unwanted calls and faxes from telemarketers to my numbers stop after I have registered my numbers on the National DNCL?

No. Registering with the National DNCL will not stop all telemarketing calls and faxes, since there are some exceptions. You can still receive calls made on behalf of:

• registered charities seeking donations;
  
• newspaper companies wanting you to subscribe;
  
• political parties and their candidates.

There is also an exception for companies with whom you have done business within the previous 18 months or have been in contact with in the last 6 months.

The company that cleaned your driveway last year could still call you to solicit your business this year - even if you registered on the National DNCL.

However, companies who fall into this exception are required to keep their own “do not call” lists. So, if you don’t want to be called by them, you can ask them to add your numbers to their list. They must stop calling you within 31 days of your request.

Inversely, you can also authorise companies to continue to call you.

What about market research, polls and surveys? Will I still get these calls?

Yes. Organisations conducting market research, polls and surveys are not considered telemarketers because they are not selling you products or services. They simply want information from you. So even if you are registered on the National DNCL, you can still get a call from one of these organisations.

When will the unwanted telemarketing calls stop?

Once you have registered your numbers with the National DNCL, telemarketing companies that are not exempt must stop calling you within 31 days of the date on which you registered.

What if I am registered, but I am still receiving unwanted telemarketing calls?

If it has been more than 31 days since you registered, and the call was not from a telemarketer that fits within the exceptions mentioned above, you can register your complaint at www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca  (http://www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca) or by calling 1-866-580-3625 or 1-888-362-5889 for TTY service.

If this happens, remember to write down the date and time of the unwanted call, the identity of the person who called you, their telephone number and the nature of their call.

The CRTC will investigate your complaint. It can fine the telemarketers in question up to $1,500 per violation for an individual and up to $15,000 per violation for a corporation.

Do telemarketers have to follow any rules when they call me?

Yes. Whether or not you are registered on the National DNCL, telemarketers have to follow certain rules when they call you.

They must, for example:

• identify themselves;
  
• display the number they are calling from or where they can be reached;
  
• give you a phone number where you can speak with someone about the call;
  
• only call or send you faxes between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, and between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekends.

For more information, you can visit the CRTC's website  (http://www.crtc.gc.ca/).